Amberhill, Melawati
The construction of this project has been in progress for more than two years at the site, and with their huge billboards around the site, it has attracted a lot of queries over the long period. The long construction period so far is mainly due to the earthworks and site preparation, due to the very steep condition of the site. The show house is nearing completion, and will the official launch will be soon.
The site is along Jalan K5 of Taman Melawati, near the top of the small hill behind the rows of existing bungalows. This small parcel of land was a left over from the early development of Taman Melawati in the mid-80’s, and is identified as Phase 7B. In the interim years, this area of Taman Melawati has become a nice, rustic area at the edge of a jungle overlooking the natural limestone hills. The area is popular for jungle trekking, and if you had driven past there a few years ago, you can clearly see the granite outcropping at certain stretches along K5 going up to more than 2m. From the formation, it can be seen that the blasting was carried out those days to form the platform we see at the moment.
Now, this area has become a hotspot for luxury homes, with a few developers moving in during last 3 years - namely, this project by Pembinaan Asmegah, 20 Trees by SDB Properties, Riverview by Loh & Loh and a 60-acre project by Mutiara Goodyear further in. To get to this project, turn right the MRR2 at the Zoo Negara interchange and follow the signs up the hill. Approaching the site you can see some massive slope terracing works using retaining walls, it can be imposing bordering on trepidation.
There are only 50 units in this development, the land is a tear shaped enclave. There are basically only three rows of homes, with the 20 bungalows at the highest row, and the semi-Ds are facing the main road. There is one odd bungalow at the corner of the development at the lowest point that is especially large, but with a very high and imposing retaining wall behind it. Perhaps it would have been better to have a clubhouse or community hall there rather than squeeze in another unit in such a location.
Each unit has a large land area, although most of them are on terraced slopes due to the inclined, and every unit also comes with a private swimming pool and built in Jacuzzi.
The bungalows are of a very traditional façade and layout design. They have a big build up of about 6,500sq.ft., and all 3-storey. Most bungalows have extra space in front, and corner units come with extra land. With so much space, 6+1 and 7+1 rooms (depending on the type you choose), you can’t really ask for more space, although the footprint is minimal to enhance the design concept. The façade and colour scheme takes a bit of getting used to, though, we found it to be too conservative for our liking.
The semi-Ds, however, in totally different with their contemporary design. Here you have double pitched roofs (very trendy and popular these days) and a grey white colour scheme probably to attract a younger crowd. They are all 2 and a half storey units, you have 3,400 to 5,050sq.ft. of space. There are 6+1 rooms, and depending on the type you choose, you either get an indoor courtyard or a rooftop garden. Families with small children will have extra careful with the slopes in your garden. The footprint employed here is quite simple, almost rectangular.
Price of a unit start pretty steep, from RM1.6million up until RM4million. Driving by the site you can see why this is so – there is a lot of infrastructure work that has been done (and still in progress) prior to the superstructure being erected, like retaining walls, granite rock breaking, soil strengthening, etc. From the pricing it looks like its pretty exclusive to a tee.
As part of the sales package, they are offering RM48k to RM80k worth of freebies with each unit, please check with the salespeople for details.
Overall, you probably need to see the site yourself appreciate the view and see the actual terrain of the site. Choosing the right unit might be important, too. We would choose the semi-D units over the bungalows, but having said that, the pricing makes it inaccessible for most of us, anyway.
This is the Kuantan developer’s first major project in the Klang Valley. They are also known for the D’Embassy project in Bukit Pelindung, Kuantan.
| Project Name | Amberhill |
| Location | Phase 7B, Melawati |
| Description | Limited bungalows and semi-Ds development |
| Land type | Freehold |
| Encumbrances | Charged to OCBC Bank |
| Price | from RM1.6mil to RM4.0mil |
| Build-up | Bungalow: from 6,480sq.ft. Semi-D: from 4,505sq.ft. |
| Land size | Bungalow: from 6,460 to 10,200sq.ft. Semi-D: from 3,400 to 5,050sq.ft. |
| No of units | 50 |
| Launch Date | now available |
| Expected Completion | April 2009 |
| Developer | Pembinaan Asmegah Sdn. Bhd (member of Tunas Manja group) |
| Contact | 03 – 2162 3322 |
| Website | www.amberhill.com.my |
Developers still dont get it that the housing market is worsening. They cannot possibly sell at ridiculous prices anymore. They have to reduce prices. The fair price for this project should only be between RM700k to RM1.5mil. Anything above that is overpriced.
Comment by ichi — April 10, 2008 @ 8:04 am
On the comments by ichi, I tend to agree that lately, the price of local properties in general have either stagnated or have shown a slight -ve bias. (I must however add that property prices in M’sia have been holding pretty well if we’re to compare them to prices in countries such as the US or the UK). The oft-quoted contributing reasons being the uncertainties in the local political landscape, & the ongoing global credit crunch. Using other similar properties that’ve been launched over recent past years in the locality of Tmn Melawati-Kemensah Height as a basis of comparison, I’m of the view that they are indeed over-priced here, probably in the region of 5-10%. I suppose part of the reasons for the higher asking price is because of additional funds that’ve been spent for the cutting & sloping of the original hilly site. At the end of the day, however, I believe they’ll still be buyers who’re willing to pay the asking price. As the Administrator has highlighted, there is a nice & rustic charm in this part of town. Residents like it here because it provides country living and yet amenities, etc in the CBD are all within easy reach. Also, unlike parts of KL/S’gor where there’re obvious signs of glut for certain types of properties due to the numerous launches as well as the huge nos of units that’re launched per project over recent years, stock of quality houses in the Taman Melawati-Kemensah Height area is still relatively quite limited.
Comment by Tom L — April 10, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
i would like to know the information about property(house for reside in) in wangsa maju and ampang area.
thanks you.
Comment by loke — April 10, 2008 @ 7:17 pm
Definitely overpriced! Wait one or two years more, you can get the same house 20% cheaper. Dont believe me? Go visit Malton’s Lakeview in Puchong. They offering RM20,000 discount from previous launching price. So it pays to avoid paying overpriced prices. CONSUMERS RULE!
Comment by robert — April 10, 2008 @ 10:54 pm
This houses are targetting foreigners…and upper end local customers in my opinion. But love the contemporary design and the tall and many windows..it’s the current trend. Again the finishes must qualify the price…developer must ascertain best quality from their suppliers and contractors, dont cheat clients.
Comment by kean — April 23, 2008 @ 12:10 pm
Hi there! For your readers who’re keen on properties in the Melawati/Kemensah Height areas, perhaps you might wish to visit the showhouses (both semi-d & bungalow)in Riverview, a project by Loh & Loh which was opened to the public last Sunday, 25th May. Cheers!
Comment by Tom L — May 27, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
very nice i love it
Comment by issac — July 10, 2008 @ 10:55 pm
the price tag is too much. sales will end up like bukit pelindung…
Comment by ricky — August 29, 2009 @ 1:11 am